Post by title1parent on Sept 14, 2010 5:11:10 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/2705802,6_NA13_University-updates-D204-proposed-.article
University updates D204 on proposed charter school
September 14, 2010
By KATHY CICHON kcichon@stmedianetwork.com
Aurora University's plan to create a charter/magnet hybrid school focusing on math and science is continuing to take shape.
"We are now in the process of putting together an executive summary, or case statement, that we are going to take out and begin to broker resources to raise dollars to actually create the academy," said Sherry Eagle, director of Aurora University's Institute for Collaboration.
Speaking Monday night to the Indian Prairie District 204 Board of Education, Eagle provided an update on the institute's programs, including the proposed hybrid school. The charter/magnet school is a collaboration between several area school districts and the university and would serve students in grades three through eight.
Seventeen community organizations, businesses and corporations are partnering with Aurora University on the project, including Indian Prairie District 204, West Aurora School District 129, East Aurora School District 131 and Oswego Community Unit School District 308. Corporate partners include Exelon Corporation, Google and Nicor Gas.
The partnership is called the Aurora Mathematics and Science Education System, and has already provided after-school and summer middle school programs in math and science. The idea for the charter school evolved from discussion among area school teachers and university faculty involved in the creation of new math and science graduate studies programs at AU.
"We believe that it's time that we focus our attention, in somewhat of a quantifiable way, of focusing on mathematics and science education for teachers as well as the students that they teach," Eagle said.
The institute recently received a $250,000 grant from the Dunham Fund to continue the brokering of this kind of project, along with a matching grant of $150,000, Eagle said.
"The university has agreed to donate land for the proposed academy or center. And that land has a value of approximately $4 million, (which the university would donate) if indeed we thought and felt that having it on the university campus with our students would certainly add value to their experience," she said. "The university has had an elementary school on its campus for 13 years, and it's been very successful. I think it gives students an idea that college is important, and it is something that is a natural aspiration for them."
It will likely be at least a couple of years before such a school opens, officials have previously said.
"I think we're still very early in on the process. We're eager to hear what may develop with that," District 204 board President Curt Bradshaw said after Monday's meeting. "And we have the option to participate or not participate depending on how it shapes up to be."
Eagle said the project may be phased in, but those working on it are "pretty confident."
"I think we've ignited community interest," Eagle said. "We know that we need to go beyond the community to garner support, and so we have been actively involved in that."
University updates D204 on proposed charter school
September 14, 2010
By KATHY CICHON kcichon@stmedianetwork.com
Aurora University's plan to create a charter/magnet hybrid school focusing on math and science is continuing to take shape.
"We are now in the process of putting together an executive summary, or case statement, that we are going to take out and begin to broker resources to raise dollars to actually create the academy," said Sherry Eagle, director of Aurora University's Institute for Collaboration.
Speaking Monday night to the Indian Prairie District 204 Board of Education, Eagle provided an update on the institute's programs, including the proposed hybrid school. The charter/magnet school is a collaboration between several area school districts and the university and would serve students in grades three through eight.
Seventeen community organizations, businesses and corporations are partnering with Aurora University on the project, including Indian Prairie District 204, West Aurora School District 129, East Aurora School District 131 and Oswego Community Unit School District 308. Corporate partners include Exelon Corporation, Google and Nicor Gas.
The partnership is called the Aurora Mathematics and Science Education System, and has already provided after-school and summer middle school programs in math and science. The idea for the charter school evolved from discussion among area school teachers and university faculty involved in the creation of new math and science graduate studies programs at AU.
"We believe that it's time that we focus our attention, in somewhat of a quantifiable way, of focusing on mathematics and science education for teachers as well as the students that they teach," Eagle said.
The institute recently received a $250,000 grant from the Dunham Fund to continue the brokering of this kind of project, along with a matching grant of $150,000, Eagle said.
"The university has agreed to donate land for the proposed academy or center. And that land has a value of approximately $4 million, (which the university would donate) if indeed we thought and felt that having it on the university campus with our students would certainly add value to their experience," she said. "The university has had an elementary school on its campus for 13 years, and it's been very successful. I think it gives students an idea that college is important, and it is something that is a natural aspiration for them."
It will likely be at least a couple of years before such a school opens, officials have previously said.
"I think we're still very early in on the process. We're eager to hear what may develop with that," District 204 board President Curt Bradshaw said after Monday's meeting. "And we have the option to participate or not participate depending on how it shapes up to be."
Eagle said the project may be phased in, but those working on it are "pretty confident."
"I think we've ignited community interest," Eagle said. "We know that we need to go beyond the community to garner support, and so we have been actively involved in that."